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Baker Frost D, Savchenko A, Feghali-Bostwick C, Wolf B. The Relationship between Time, Race, and Estrogen Receptor Alpha in Estradiol-Induced Dermal Fibrosis. Biomedicines 2024; 12:182. [PMID: 38255287 PMCID: PMC10813671 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In the skin, estradiol (E2) promotes profibrotic and proinflammatory cytokines, contributing to extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. However, the magnitude of the response differs. Using the human skin organ culture model, we evaluated donor characteristics and correlations that contribute to E2-induced interleukin-6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor beta 1 and 2 (TGFB1 and TGFB2), collagen IA2 (Col IA2), collagen IIIA1 (Col IIIA1), and fibronectin (FN) expressions. In vehicle- and E2-treated dermal skin tissue transcripts, we confirm differences in the magnitude; however, there were positive correlations between profibrotic mediators and ECM components 48 h after E2 treatment. Also, positive correlations exist between baseline and E2-induced TGFB1, IL-6, Col IIIA1, and FN transcripts. Since estrogen receptor alpha (ERA) can propagate E2's signal, we measured and detected differences in its baseline and fold change transcript levels, with a significant decline in baseline levels 48 h after incubation and an increase 48 h after E2 treatment. There was a trend to higher transcript levels in African American donors 24 h earlier. Finally, E2-induced ERA transcript levels negatively correlated with its own baseline levels and positively correlated with FN, TGFB1, and Col IA2 transcript levels. Therefore, our data suggest ERA, E2 exposure time, and race/ethnicity contribute to E2-induced dermal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- DeAnna Baker Frost
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, 96 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; (D.B.F.); (C.F.-B.)
| | - Alisa Savchenko
- Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Carol Feghali-Bostwick
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, 96 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; (D.B.F.); (C.F.-B.)
| | - Bethany Wolf
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon Street, Room 305F, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
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2
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Analysis of Copy Number Variation in the Whole Genome of Normal-Haired and Long-Haired Tianzhu White Yaks. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13122405. [PMID: 36553672 PMCID: PMC9777850 DOI: 10.3390/genes13122405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-haired individuals in the Tianzhu white yak population are a unique genetic resource, and have important landscape value. Copy number variation (CNV) is an important source of phenotypic variation in mammals. In this study, we used resequencing technology to detect the whole genome of 10 long-haired Tianzhu white yaks (LTWY) and 10 normal-haired Tianzhu white yaks (NTWY), and analyzed the differences of CNV in the genome of LTWYs and NTWYs. A total of 110268 CNVs were identified, 2006 CNVRs were defined, and the distribution map of these CNVRs on chromosomes was constructed. The comparison of LTWYs and NTWYs identified 80 differential CNVR-harbored genes, which were enriched in lipid metabolism, cell migration and other functions. Notably, some differential genes were identified as associated with hair growth and hair-follicle development (e.g., ASTN2, ATM, COL22A1, GK5, SLIT3, PM20D1, and SGCZ). In general, we present the first genome-wide analysis of CNV in LTWYs and NTWYs. Our results can provide new insights into the phenotypic variation of different hair lengths in Tianzhu white yaks.
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3
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Davis JL, Kennedy C, Clerkin S, Treacy NJ, Dodd T, Moss C, Murphy A, Brazil DP, Cagney G, Brougham DF, Murad R, Finlay D, Vuori K, Crean J. Single-cell multiomics reveals the complexity of TGFβ signalling to chromatin in iPSC-derived kidney organoids. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1301. [PMID: 36435939 PMCID: PMC9701233 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04264-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
TGFβ1 plays a regulatory role in the determination of renal cell fate and the progression of renal fibrosis. Here we show an association between SMAD3 and the histone methyltransferase, EZH2, during cell differentiation; ChIP-seq revealed that SMAD3 and EZH2 co-occupy the genome in iPSCs and in iPSC-derived nephron progenitors. Through integration of single cell gene expression and epigenome profiling, we identified de novo ACTA2+ve/POSTN+ve myofibroblasts in kidney organoids treated with TGFβ1, characterised by increased SMAD3-dependent cis chromatin accessibility and gene expression associated with fibroblast activation. We have identified fibrosis-associated regulons characterised by enrichment of SMAD3, AP1, the ETS family of transcription factors, and NUAK1, CREB3L1, and RARG, corresponding to enriched motifs at accessible loci identified by scATACseq. Treatment with the EZH2 specific inhibitor GSK343, blocked SMAD3-dependent cis co-accessibility and inhibited myofibroblast activation. This mechanism, through which TGFβ signals directly to chromatin, represents a critical determinant of fibrotic, differentiated states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Davis
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4 Ireland
| | - Ciaran Kennedy
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4 Ireland
| | - Shane Clerkin
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4 Ireland
| | - Niall J. Treacy
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4 Ireland
| | - Thomas Dodd
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4 Ireland
| | - Catherine Moss
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743UCD Genomics Core Facility, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4 Ireland
| | - Alison Murphy
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743UCD Genomics Core Facility, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4 Ireland
| | - Derek P. Brazil
- grid.4777.30000 0004 0374 7521Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast, BT9 7BL Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Gerard Cagney
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4 Ireland
| | - Dermot F. Brougham
- grid.7886.10000 0001 0768 2743UCD School of Chemistry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4 Ireland
| | - Rabi Murad
- grid.479509.60000 0001 0163 8573Sanford Burnham Prebys Institute for Medical Discovery, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA
| | - Darren Finlay
- grid.479509.60000 0001 0163 8573Sanford Burnham Prebys Institute for Medical Discovery, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA
| | - Kristiina Vuori
- grid.479509.60000 0001 0163 8573Sanford Burnham Prebys Institute for Medical Discovery, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA
| | - John Crean
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4, Ireland.
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4
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Type XXII Collagen Complements Fibrillar Collagens in the Serological Assessment of Tumor Fibrosis and the Outcome in Pancreatic Cancer. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233763. [PMID: 36497023 PMCID: PMC9738409 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating fragments of type III collagen, measured by PRO-C3, has shown promising results as a tumor fibrosis biomarker. However, the fibrotic tumor microenvironment consists of many other collagens with diverse functions and unexplored biomarker potential. One example hereof is type XXII collagen (COL22). In this study, we investigated the biomarker potential of COL22 by measuring this in serum. An ELISA, named PRO-C22, was developed and measured in two serum cohorts consisting of patients with various solid tumors (n = 220) and healthy subjects (n = 33) (Cohort 1), and patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) (n = 34), and healthy subjects (n = 20) (Cohort 2). In Cohort 1, PRO-C22 was elevated in the serum from patients with solid tumors, compared to healthy subjects (p < 0.01 to p < 0.0001), and the diagnostic accuracy (AUROC) ranged from 0.87 to 0.98, p < 0.0001. In Cohort 2, the high levels of PRO-C22, in patients with PDAC, were predictive of a worse overall survival (HR = 4.52, 95% CI 1.90−10.7, p = 0.0006) and this remained significant after adjusting for PRO-C3 (HR = 4.27, 95% CI 1.24−10.4, p = 0.0013). In conclusion, PRO-C22 has diagnostic biomarker potential in various solid tumor types and prognostic biomarker potential in PDAC. Furthermore, PRO-C22 complemented PRO-C3 in predicting mortality, suggesting an additive prognostic value when quantifying different collagens.
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Low Baseline Expression of Fibrotic Genes in an Ex Vivo Human Skin Model is a Potential Indicator of Excessive Skin Scarring. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2022; 10:e4626. [PMID: 36389611 PMCID: PMC9653186 DOI: 10.1097/gox.0000000000004626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED One of the challenges plastic surgeons face is the unpredictability of postoperative scarring. The variability of wound healing and subsequent scar formation across patients makes it virtually impossible to predict if a patient's surgery will result in excessive fibrosis and scarring, possibly amounting to keloids or hypertrophic scars. There is a need to find predictive molecular indicators of patients or skin location with high risk of excessive scarring. We hypothesized that baseline expression levels of fibrotic genes in the skin can serve as a potential indicator of excessive scarring. METHODS An ex vivo model of skin fibrosis was used with abdominal and breast skin tissue from 45 patients undergoing breast reduction and/or abdominoplasty. Fibrosis was induced in skin explants in organ culture with transforming growth factor-β (TFGβ). Fibrotic gene response was assessed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and correlated with skin location, age, and baseline levels of fibrotic genes. RESULTS The increase in TFGβ-induced fibronectin1 (FN1) gene expression in skin explants was significantly higher than for Collagen 1A1, alpha smooth muscle actin, and connective tissue growth factor. Also, FN1 expression positively correlated with donor age. Moreover, lower expression of the fibrotic genes FN1, Collagen 1A1, and alpha smooth muscle actin correlated with a more pronounced fibrotic response, represented by higher induction levels of these genes. CONCLUSIONS Skin sites exhibit different baseline levels of profibrotic genes. Further, low baseline expression levels of fibrotic genes FN1, Collagen 1A1, and alpha smooth muscle actin, in donor skin may indicate a potential for excessive scarring of the skin.
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Mlakar L, Garrett SM, Watanabe T, Sanderson M, Nishimoto T, Heywood J, Helke KL, Pilewski JM, Herzog EL, Feghali-Bostwick C. Ameliorating Fibrosis in Murine and Human Tissues with END55, an Endostatin-Derived Fusion Protein Made in Plants. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2861. [PMID: 36359382 PMCID: PMC9687961 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Organ fibrosis, particularly of the lungs, causes significant morbidity and mortality. Effective treatments are needed to reduce the health burden. A fragment of the carboxyl-terminal end of collagen XVIII/endostatin reduces skin and lung fibrosis. This fragment was modified to facilitate its production in plants, which resulted in the recombinant fusion protein, END55. We found that expression of END55 had significant anti-fibrotic effects on the treatment and prevention of skin and lung fibrosis in a bleomycin mouse model. We validated these effects in a second mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis involving inducible, lung-targeted expression of transforming growth factor β1. END55 also exerted anti-fibrotic effects in human lung and skin tissues maintained in organ culture in which fibrosis was experimentally induced. The anti-fibrotic effect of END55 was mediated by a decrease in the expression of extracellular matrix genes and an increase in the levels of matrix-degrading enzymes. Finally, END55 reduced fibrosis in the lungs of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who underwent lung transplantation due to the severity of their lung disease, displaying efficacy in human tissues directly relevant to human disease. These findings demonstrate that END55 is an effective anti-fibrotic therapy in different organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Mlakar
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Sara M. Garrett
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Tomoya Watanabe
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Matthew Sanderson
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Tetsuya Nishimoto
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Jonathan Heywood
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Kristi L. Helke
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Joseph M. Pilewski
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Erica L. Herzog
- Yale ILD Center of Excellence, Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Carol Feghali-Bostwick
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
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7
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Chaffin M, Papangeli I, Simonson B, Akkad AD, Hill MC, Arduini A, Fleming SJ, Melanson M, Hayat S, Kost-Alimova M, Atwa O, Ye J, Bedi KC, Nahrendorf M, Kaushik VK, Stegmann CM, Margulies KB, Tucker NR, Ellinor PT. Single-nucleus profiling of human dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Nature 2022; 608:174-180. [PMID: 35732739 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04817-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Heart failure encompasses a heterogeneous set of clinical features that converge on impaired cardiac contractile function1,2 and presents a growing public health concern. Previous work has highlighted changes in both transcription and protein expression in failing hearts3,4, but may overlook molecular changes in less prevalent cell types. Here we identify extensive molecular alterations in failing hearts at single-cell resolution by performing single-nucleus RNA sequencing of nearly 600,000 nuclei in left ventricle samples from 11 hearts with dilated cardiomyopathy and 15 hearts with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as well as 16 non-failing hearts. The transcriptional profiles of dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy hearts broadly converged at the tissue and cell-type level. Further, a subset of hearts from patients with cardiomyopathy harbour a unique population of activated fibroblasts that is almost entirely absent from non-failing samples. We performed a CRISPR-knockout screen in primary human cardiac fibroblasts to evaluate this fibrotic cell state transition; knockout of genes associated with fibroblast transition resulted in a reduction of myofibroblast cell-state transition upon TGFβ1 stimulation for a subset of genes. Our results provide insights into the transcriptional diversity of the human heart in health and disease as well as new potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Chaffin
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory and the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Irinna Papangeli
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory, Bayer US LLC, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bridget Simonson
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory and the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Amer-Denis Akkad
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory, Bayer US LLC, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Matthew C Hill
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory and the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alessandro Arduini
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory and the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephen J Fleming
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory and the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Data Sciences Platform, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michelle Melanson
- Center for the Development of Therapeutics, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sikander Hayat
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory, Bayer US LLC, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Maria Kost-Alimova
- Center for the Development of Therapeutics, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ondine Atwa
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory and the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jiangchuan Ye
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory and the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth C Bedi
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthias Nahrendorf
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Biology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Virendar K Kaushik
- Center for the Development of Therapeutics, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Kenneth B Margulies
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Patrick T Ellinor
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory and the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Demoulas Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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8
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Kim SJ, Bale S, Verma P, Wan Q, Ma F, Gudjonsson JE, Hazen SL, Harms PW, Tsou PS, Khanna D, Tsoi LC, Gupta N, Ho KJ, Varga J. Gut microbe-derived metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide activates PERK to drive fibrogenic mesenchymal differentiation. iScience 2022; 25:104669. [PMID: 35856022 PMCID: PMC9287188 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Intestinal dysbiosis is prominent in systemic sclerosis (SSc), but it remains unknown how it contributes to microvascular injury and fibrosis that are hallmarks of this disease. Trimethylamine (TMA) is generated by the gut microbiome and in the host converted by flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO3) into trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which has been implicated in chronic cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Using cell culture systems and patient biopsies, we now show that TMAO reprograms skin fibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells, and adipocytic progenitor cells into myofibroblasts via the putative TMAO receptor protein R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK). Remarkably, FMO3 was detected in skin fibroblasts and its expression stimulated by TGF-β1. Moreover, FMO3 was elevated in SSc skin biopsies and in SSc fibroblasts. A meta-organismal pathway thus might in SSc link gut microbiome to vascular remodeling and fibrosis via stromal cell reprogramming, implicating the FMO3-TMAO-PERK axis in pathogenesis, and as a promising target for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok-Jo Kim
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan, Suite 7C27, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- SCM Lifescience Co. Ltd., Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Swarna Bale
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan, Suite 7C27, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Priyanka Verma
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan, Suite 7C27, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Qianqian Wan
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan, Suite 7C27, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Feiyang Ma
- Department of Dermatology, The University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Johann E. Gudjonsson
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan, Suite 7C27, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Dermatology, The University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Stanley L. Hazen
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Center for Microbiome & Human Health, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Paul W. Harms
- Department of Dermatology, The University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pathology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Pei-Suen Tsou
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan, Suite 7C27, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dinesh Khanna
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan, Suite 7C27, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Michigan Scleroderma Program, The University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lam C. Tsoi
- Department of Dermatology, The University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nilaksh Gupta
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Center for Microbiome & Human Health, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Karen J. Ho
- Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - John Varga
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan, Suite 7C27, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Dermatology, The University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Michigan Scleroderma Program, The University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Building, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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9
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Rokni M, Sadeghi Shaker M, Kavosi H, Shokoofi S, Mahmoudi M, Farhadi E. The role of endothelin and RAS/ERK signaling in immunopathogenesis-related fibrosis in patients with systemic sclerosis: an updated review with therapeutic implications. Arthritis Res Ther 2022; 24:108. [PMID: 35562771 PMCID: PMC9102675 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-022-02787-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a disease of connective tissue with high rate of morbidity and mortality highlighted by extreme fibrosis affecting various organs such as the dermis, lungs, and heart. Until now, there is no specific cure for the fibrosis occurred in SSc disease. The SSc pathogenesis is yet unknown, but transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and Ras-ERK1/2 cascade are the main factors contributing to the tissue fibrosis through extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. Several studies have hallmarked the association of ET-1 with or without TGF-β and Ras-ERK1/2 signaling in the development of SSc disease, vasculopathy, and fibrosis of the dermis, lungs, and several organs. Accordingly, different clinical and experimental studies have indicated the potential therapeutic role of ET-1 and Ras antagonists in these situations in SSc. In addition, ET-1 and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) as a cofactor of the TGF-β cascade play a substantial initiative role in inducing fibrosis. Once initiated, TGF-β alone or in combination with ET-1 and CTGF can activate several kinase proteins such as the Ras-ERK1/2 pathway that serve as the fundamental factor for developing fibrosis. Furthermore, Salirasib is a synthetic small molecule that is able to inhibit all Ras forms. Therefore, it can be used as a potent therapeutic factor for fibrotic disorders. So, this review discusses the role of TGF-β/ET-1/Ras signaling and their involvement in SSc pathogenesis, particularly in its fibrotic situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Rokni
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Immunology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mina Sadeghi Shaker
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hoda Kavosi
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Inflammation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahrzad Shokoofi
- Rheumatology Department, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Mahdi Mahmoudi
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. .,Inflammation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Elham Farhadi
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. .,Inflammation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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10
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Beckman EJ, Martins F, Suzuki TA, Bi K, Keeble S, Good JM, Chavez AS, Ballinger MA, Agwamba K, Nachman MW. The genomic basis of high-elevation adaptation in wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) from South America. Genetics 2022; 220:iyab226. [PMID: 34897431 PMCID: PMC9097263 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic basis of environmental adaptation in natural populations is a central goal in evolutionary biology. The conditions at high elevation, particularly the low oxygen available in the ambient air, impose a significant and chronic environmental challenge to metabolically active animals with lowland ancestry. To understand the process of adaptation to these novel conditions and to assess the repeatability of evolution over short timescales, we examined the signature of selection from complete exome sequences of house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) sampled across two elevational transects in the Andes of South America. Using phylogenetic analysis, we show that house mice colonized high elevations independently in Ecuador and Bolivia. Overall, we found distinct responses to selection in each transect and largely nonoverlapping sets of candidate genes, consistent with the complex nature of traits that underlie adaptation to low oxygen availability (hypoxia) in other species. Nonetheless, we also identified a small subset of the genome that appears to be under parallel selection at the gene and SNP levels. In particular, three genes (Col22a1, Fgf14, and srGAP1) bore strong signatures of selection in both transects. Finally, we observed several patterns that were common to both transects, including an excess of derived alleles at high elevation, and a number of hypoxia-associated genes exhibiting a threshold effect, with a large allele frequency change only at the highest elevations. This threshold effect suggests that selection pressures may increase disproportionately at high elevations in mammals, consistent with observations of some high-elevation diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Beckman
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Felipe Martins
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Taichi A Suzuki
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Microbiome Science, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Ke Bi
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Sara Keeble
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Good
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Andreas S Chavez
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology and the Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Mallory A Ballinger
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kennedy Agwamba
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Michael W Nachman
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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11
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Sarhan SA, Sherby NA, Raafat N, Alian SM. Association of cytochrome P2D6 gene polymorphism with the susceptibility of Egyptian patients to systemic sclerosis disease. Meta Gene 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mgene.2021.100926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2022] Open
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12
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Baker Frost D, Savchenko A, Ogunleye A, Armstrong M, Feghali-Bostwick C. Elucidating the cellular mechanism for E2-induced dermal fibrosis. Arthritis Res Ther 2021; 23:68. [PMID: 33640015 PMCID: PMC7913437 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-021-02441-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both TGFβ and estradiol (E2), a form of estrogen, are pro-fibrotic in the skin. In the connective tissue disease, systemic sclerosis (SSc), both TGFβ and E2 are likely pathogenic. Yet the regulation of TGFβ in E2-induced dermal fibrosis remains ill-defined. Elucidating those regulatory mechanisms will improve the understanding of fibrotic disease pathogenesis and set the stage for developing potential therapeutics. Using E2-stimulated primary human dermal fibroblasts in vitro and human skin tissue ex vivo, we identified the important regulatory proteins for TGFβ and investigated the extracellular matrix (ECM) components that are directly stimulated by E2-induced TGFβ signaling. METHODS We used primary human dermal fibroblasts in vitro and human skin tissue ex vivo stimulated with E2 or vehicle (ethanol) to measure TGFβ1 and TGFβ2 levels using quantitative PCR (qPCR). To identify the necessary cell signaling proteins in E2-induced TGFβ1 and TGFβ2 transcription, human dermal fibroblasts were pre-treated with an inhibitor of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK/MAPK) pathway, U0126. Finally, human skin tissue ex vivo was pre-treated with SB-431542, a TGFβ receptor inhibitor, and ICI 182,780, an estrogen receptor α (ERα) inhibitor, to establish the effects of TGFβ and ERα signaling on E2-induced collagen 22A1 (Col22A1) transcription. RESULTS We found that expression of TGFβ1, TGFβ2, and Col22A1, a TGFβ-responsive gene, is induced in response to E2 stimulation. Mechanistically, Col22A1 induction was blocked by SB-431542 and ICI 182,780 despite E2 stimulation. Additionally, inhibiting E2-induced ERK/MAPK activation and early growth response 1 (EGR1) transcription prevents the E2-induced increase in TGFβ1 and TGFβ2 transcription and translation. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that E2-induced dermal fibrosis occurs in part through induction of TGFβ1, 2, and Col22A1, which is regulated through EGR1 and the MAPK pathway. Thus, blocking estrogen signaling and/or production may be a novel therapeutic option in pro-fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- DeAnna Baker Frost
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.
| | - Alisa Savchenko
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
| | - Adeyemi Ogunleye
- Division of Plastic Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Milton Armstrong
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
| | - Carol Feghali-Bostwick
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
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Platelet-Released Growth Factors and Platelet-Rich Fibrin Induce Expression of Factors Involved in Extracellular Matrix Organization in Human Keratinocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124404. [PMID: 32575800 PMCID: PMC7378768 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Platelet-released growth factor (PRGF) is a thrombocyte concentrate lysate which, like its clinically equivalent variations (e.g., Vivostat PRF® (platelet-rich fibrin)), is known to support the healing of chronic and hard-to-heal wounds. However, studies on the effect of PRGF on keratinocytes remain scarce. This study aims to identify genes in keratinocytes that are significantly influenced by PRGF. Therefore, we performed a whole transcriptome and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of PRGF-stimulated human primary keratinocytes. This revealed an increased expression of genes involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) organization. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis confirmed the PRGF-mediated induction of selected ECM-related factors such as transforming growth factor beta-induced protein, fibronectin 1, matrix metalloproteinase-9, transglutaminase 2, fermitin family member 1, collagen type I alpha 1 and collagen type XXII alpha 1. PRGF-induced expression of the above factors was influenced by blockade of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a receptor playing a crucial role in wound healing. A differential induction of the investigated factors was also detected in skin explants exposed to PRGF and in experimentally generated in vivo wounds treated with Vivostat PRF®. Together, our study indicates that the induction of ECM-related factors may contribute to the beneficial wound-healing effects of PRGF-based formulations.
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14
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Matei AE, Chen CW, Kiesewetter L, Györfi AH, Li YN, Trinh-Minh T, Xu X, Tran Manh C, van Kuppevelt T, Hansmann J, Jüngel A, Schett G, Groeber-Becker F, Distler JHW. Vascularised human skin equivalents as a novel in vitro model of skin fibrosis and platform for testing of antifibrotic drugs. Ann Rheum Dis 2019; 78:1686-1692. [PMID: 31540936 DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-216108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Fibrosis is a complex pathophysiological process involving interplay between multiple cell types. Experimental modelling of fibrosis is essential for the understanding of its pathogenesis and for testing of putative antifibrotic drugs. However, most current models employ either phylogenetically distant species or rely on human cells cultured in an artificial environment. Here we evaluated the potential of vascularised in vitro human skin equivalents as a novel model of skin fibrosis and a platform for the evaluation of antifibrotic drugs. METHODS Skin equivalents were assembled on a three-dimensional extracellular matrix by sequential seeding of endothelial cells, fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Fibrotic transformation on exposure to transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) and response to treatment with nintedanib as an established antifibrotic agent were evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), capillary Western immunoassay, immunostaining and histology. RESULTS Skin equivalents perfused at a physiological pressure formed a mature, polarised epidermis, a stratified dermis and a functional vessel system. Exposure of these models to TGFβ recapitulated key features of SSc skin with activation of TGFβ pathways, fibroblast to myofibroblast transition, increased release of collagen and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. Treatment with the antifibrotic agent nintedanib ameliorated this fibrotic transformation. CONCLUSION Our data provide evidence that vascularised skin equivalents can replicate key features of fibrotic skin and may serve as a platform for evaluation of antifibrotic drugs in a pathophysiologically relevant human setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru-Emil Matei
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Chih-Wei Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lisa Kiesewetter
- Translational Center Würzburg, Fraunhofer Translational Center Regenerative Therapies, Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andrea-Hermina Györfi
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yi-Nan Li
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thuong Trinh-Minh
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Xiaohan Xu
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Cuong Tran Manh
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Toin van Kuppevelt
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Hansmann
- Translational Center Würzburg, Fraunhofer Translational Center Regenerative Therapies, Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC), Würzburg, Germany.,University for Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, Wurzburg, Germany
| | - Astrid Jüngel
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich/Zurich Center of Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Georg Schett
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Florian Groeber-Becker
- Translational Center Würzburg, Fraunhofer Translational Center Regenerative Therapies, Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC), Würzburg, Germany.,Department for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Würzburg University Medical Center, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jörg H W Distler
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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15
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Chiarelli N, Ritelli M, Zoppi N, Colombi M. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms in the Pathogenesis of Classical, Vascular, and Hypermobile Ehlers‒Danlos Syndromes. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E609. [PMID: 31409039 PMCID: PMC6723307 DOI: 10.3390/genes10080609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ehlers‒Danlos syndromes (EDS) constitute a heterogenous group of connective tissue disorders characterized by joint hypermobility, skin abnormalities, and vascular fragility. The latest nosology recognizes 13 types caused by pathogenic variants in genes encoding collagens and other molecules involved in collagen processing and extracellular matrix (ECM) biology. Classical (cEDS), vascular (vEDS), and hypermobile (hEDS) EDS are the most frequent types. cEDS and vEDS are caused respectively by defects in collagen V and collagen III, whereas the molecular basis of hEDS is unknown. For these disorders, the molecular pathology remains poorly studied. Herein, we review, expand, and compare our previous transcriptome and protein studies on dermal fibroblasts from cEDS, vEDS, and hEDS patients, offering insights and perspectives in their molecular mechanisms. These cells, though sharing a pathological ECM remodeling, show differences in the underlying pathomechanisms. In cEDS and vEDS fibroblasts, key processes such as collagen biosynthesis/processing, protein folding quality control, endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis, autophagy, and wound healing are perturbed. In hEDS cells, gene expression changes related to cell-matrix interactions, inflammatory/pain responses, and acquisition of an in vitro pro-inflammatory myofibroblast-like phenotype may contribute to the complex pathogenesis of the disorder. Finally, emerging findings from miRNA profiling of hEDS fibroblasts are discussed to add some novel biological aspects about hEDS etiopathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Chiarelli
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Marco Ritelli
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Zoppi
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Marina Colombi
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy.
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